by Mike Coppinger, Special for USA TODAY Sports

by Mike Coppinger, Special for USA TODAY Sports

The experts said Danny Garcia had no shot against Amir Khan, that he wasn't in the same class. They said Garcia was a one-trick pony, a puncher with little else to offer.

And each time he's proved everyone wrong, while backing up the bravado of his outspoken father, Angel.

Garcia (27-0, 16 KOs) proved the doubters wrong once again Saturday. He turned back the challenge of Lucas Matthysse, retaining his WBC/WBA/RING junior welterweight championship in a unanimous decision (scores of 114-112, 115-111, 114-112) in the Showtime pay-per-view card topped by Floyd "Money" Mayweather's win over Saul "Canelo" Alvarez at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

"I'm the champion of the world, I'm not scared of anyone," said Garcia, 25. "If you can make it out of Philadelphia, you can make it anywhere."

Garcia seemed well on his way to losing the fight to Matthysse (34-3, 32 KOs), known as one of the biggest punchers in the sport. Matthysse was in control and was dictating the tenor of the bout he was favored to win. But then as he usually does, Garcia rallied. The comeback started after Garcia closed Matthysse's right eye in the seventh round. Matthysse couldn't see Garcia's powerful left hooks coming and paid for it.

Garcia began to dial in with power shots, and his confidence seemed to grow with each round as he whittled away at Matthysse's lead.

The momentum had already swung when Garcia put an exclamation point on his surge in the 11th round. He landed a left-right combination to Matthysse's midsection, followed by a crushing left to the head that scored a knockdown, the first time Matthysse has tasted the canvas in his nine-year professional career. Matthysse easily beat referee Tony Weeks' count and was on steady legs. When the action resumed, Matthysse landed a straight right that buzzed Garcia, proving he wouldn't go away quietly.

After numerous warnings for low blows, Garcia was finally docked a point for the foul in the 12th round. With the point swing in a close fight, Garcia decided to go for broke, and both fighters wildly traded until the final bell, sending the raucous crowd into a frenzy.

"I could still see even though my eye was swollen." said Matthysse, 30. "I kept fighting, I was a warrior. I was looking for a knockout the entire fight."

Matthysse of Trelew, Argentina, remains a viable contender, though he won't be considered the indestructible force many observers pegged him as he made his American premium network debut in 2010, a disputed decision loss to Zab Judah on HBO. He followed up with a controversial decision loss to Devon Alexander on the network in 2011.

He went on to score knockouts of Humberto Soto, Ajose Olusegun, Mike Dallas Jr. and Lamont Peterson in his last four bouts, all televised by Showtime. But a victory against Garcia Saturday would have stood as the signature win of his nine-year career. He earned $800,000 for the fight.

Garcia, who made $1.5 million for the bout, was considered a top prospect before graduating to championship status with a decision win over a past-his-prime Erik Morales on HBO in 2012. He then scored an upset knockout of Khan later that year. After a highlight-reel knockout of Morales in the rematch, he edged Judah earlier this year.

Garcia said during the week that this could be his last fight at 140 pounds. With Saturday's win, it's possible Garcia could get a showdown with Mayweather for 2014.